American Toad

Range

The anaxyrus americanus can be found in Central and Eastern United States up north to Quebec in Canada.

Habitats

The American Toad inhabits moist places with a lot of insects such as farmlands, parks, mountains and forests. Their diet consists mainly of insects. They are nocturnal and can be found hiding under rocks and burrows during the day. During winter, they hibernate in burrows. They breed between March and June. The males call out to interested females near pools of water suitable for the about 2000 eggs she's going to lay. The eggs hatch after 3 to 5 days and mature in 50 to 65 days.

Identification

They are approximately 2.0 to 3.5 inches in length. They have a gray, brown and even reddish base coloration. Some individuals are olive or tan. Their base coloration is often highlighted with tan or yellow blotches that house unevenly distributed dark marks across the full length of the back. The skin is dry and has warts. The underside is light and accentuated with many dark marks. A pale stripe extends down to the middorsal. The males are smaller than the females and have dark throats during mating season.

Learn more with Schechter Natural History's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians